Creative Writing Competition

Get creative and win an international experience at the University of Melbourne!

Enter the Faculty of Arts Creative Writing Competition for a chance to attend the week-long 2020 Trinity Young Leaders’ Program in Melbourne.

This competition closed on 10 February 2020. Winners will be announced by the end of February.

Tell your story to win an international experience at Melbourne

The Faculty of Arts Creative Writing Competition is open to international high school students in Myanmar aged between 14 and 17.

You'll have the chance to win one of two fantastic prizes to attend the week-long 2020 Trinity Young Leaders' Program in Melbourne, worth $2,000.

Experience life on campus, discover what it's like to stay at a residential college, and meet fellow young leaders from across the globe.

The topic: a moment of learning

The topic for this year's competition is 'a moment of learning'.

Bring your own life experience to your response and tell us a story about what interests you.

Submit your story online for a chance to win.

Competition winners

Congratulations to the winners of our 2019 Creative Writing Competition!

First place: Myat Phyu Sin Min, Pride International School Myanmar

Judge’s notes

When solitary Violet sees people in her room, at first she thinks they must belong to her apartment building. The author balances the ordinary and supernatural elements well, gently tearing a rift in the ordinary world to let in other elements. This is an atmospheric story, with descriptive language and a touching bit of plotting at the end. This mysterious story is carried along by strong dialogue and characterisation that keeps the reader grounded and invested. I really cared not just about Violet but all these characters and found the ending moving.

Second place: Maria Mayet, Yangon Academy International School

Judge’s notes

This is a really well-structured story. Always running late for school, the protagonist is persuaded to finally learn to ride a bike, but it's not easy. She practices and perseveres on her monstrous contraption, always entertaining the reader with her grant, humorous narration. Just when it seems she has succeeded, she must learn the final lesson. If you want to learn something, the narrator's mother has told her, first you must fail. The little twist at the end makes this an amusing circular narrative with a very relatable character.

Third place: May Wadi Thein, Pride International School Myanmar

Judge’s notes

This was so much fun to read. The story showcases a really nice feel for characterisation and a good use of dialogue. I get the sense that this writer is a real reader, passionate in her tastes, and I encourage her to keep writing.

The prize: Trinity Young Leaders' Program 2020

The Young Leaders Program (YLP), offered at Trinity College, the University of Melbourne, has been developing future leaders since 2001.

The program provides students the opportunity to live on campus at Trinity College, the University of Melbourne's oldest residential college, and join lectures and workshops with other like-minded young leaders.

Throughout YLP, participating students are guided and mentored by a team of university students.